The first thing I see is the blue shorts. When my eyes travel up, I can see exactly why they call him demon. He looks like pure evil at its finest. The black hoodie he wears is drawn down low over his face, but when he tilts his head slightly up, his eyes are menacing. Something dark lurks in those eyes as he scans the crowd before his eyes land on mine. Something jolts in my stomach as he makes his way down the aisle. The men behind him keep him moving but his eyes never leave mine. Piercing me so deep, that I can feel his gaze in my soul. When he steps up next to me, I almost faint. The sight of him right beside me sends shivers over my body. He doesn’t miss my reaction to him either. His lips curl into a cynical smile before winking at me.
Arrogant asshole. My eyes don’t leave him though as he pulls the hoodie over his head. Tattoos adorn his body but the one that catches my attention is the navy emblem that rests on his upper arm. His body is built of pure muscle. I can’t take my eyes off the way they ripple as he moves. The man is a beast of his own making. I’m intrigued.
“Someone has found a fuck buddy.” Taren elbows me in the ribs yanking my attention back to her. I bark out a laugh.
“I doubt that. He’s arrogant. Just look at him.” My eyes move with hers back over to the guy who’s now climbing inside the cage.
“He’s hot as hell!” Taren yells, causing my face to blush.
Heat creeps into my cheeks as I watch the man bouncing around. My mind drifts as we wait for the show to start. I wonder if he has a girlfriend. Why was he looking at me like I was a piece of meat? When I hear the word fight, my attention is torn from my thoughts and back to the cage. Fists fly, kicks soar through the air. The immense amount of power that flows through these men is astonishing.
Demon, as they call him, has the man around the neck, his massive arms bulging as he slams his fist into the guy’s face. My stomach churns when you can physically hear the crack of the man’s bones beneath Demon’s fist although he seems pleased with it. Blood bursts free of the man’s face as the crowd goes crazy. Is this what they love about it? What he loves about it? There has to be a reason that someone like him would be in that ring. I’ve seen fights before, been to a few with Taren and Eric, but this? This is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The crowd is so loud, cheering them on. I glance around and look at the people in the crowd. They all scream, smiles on their faces. No one even attempts to step in and stop them. Not when blood continues to drip from his opponent, not when the man hits the floor in a heap. Not even when the Demon stands proudly over his bloody and broken victim.
Cordae
I knew I wasn’t going to lose that fight. Spencer is a bitch and they all should have known that. In fact, I’m a little pissed that Tim matched me up with someone like that. I would have thought Spencer would have given me a little more fight than he had. As I stand in his office collecting my money, I think I’ll bring it up to him.
“Why Spencer?” I ask. Tim looks up at me from the pile of money that he counts in front of him.
“What are you talking about, Cord?” Shaking my head, I run my hand through my hair aggravated that he even has to ask.
“You knew he was shit. You knew I’d take his ass out!” Feeling that all too familiar anger as it rises within me, Tim stops what he’s doing.
“Mickey set up the fights tonight. He knew there was a big crowd. He knew he could draw out a couple more g’s on this one.” Huffing, I take a step towards Tim’s desk before grabbing an extra stack of cash.
“What the hell, Cord?” Tim flies out of the seat before coming around the desk at me. Before he can speak further, I grab him around the neck, slamming him onto the desk.
“Extra g’s floating around here and you hold out on me?” Tim shakes his head no before I narrow my gaze at him. It’s not that I need the money because God knows I don’t. It’s the principle.
“It was Mickey, man. That shit in your hand is his, Cord, not mine.” Releasing the hold I have on him, he coughs as he pulls himself together.
“Tell Mickey he owed me for that shit.” Stuffing the cash in my pocket, I turn on my heel and head out of the office. Jordy stands outside waiting on me, inhaling the warm night air.
“You ok?” Nodding my head, I stalk past him towards the truck. I open the door and grab the small bag out from the seat before stuffing my cash inside of it. Returning it to its rightful place, I climb in and wait on Jordy.
“What did Tim say?” Slamming the key into the ignition, I start up the truck. I love the rumble of the engine as it purrs to life.
“Mickey wanted that couple extra g’s off the fight. Too bad he didn’t get it,” I snap. Jordy chuckles as I pull out onto the road. Checking my mirrors, I don’t miss the goddamn black SUV that pulls out behind me.
“He has that security shit amped up, huh?” Glancing over at Jordy, I nod. He’s noticed them around.
Men in suits with little earpieces. It’s hard not to notice them. It isn’t like Jordy doesn’t know who we are, because he does. Jordy just never judged me and always stood by me, which is why I like him. I know my uncle has been grooming me to take over the family business but I’m still young. I want to live while I can. At least that’s the plan for now. I’ll always know that death lurks around every corner in my life.
It’s inevitable.
Ava
The music is pounding in my ears, but the party is completely insane. Bodies litter the dance floor while drinks are being freely passed around. I grin to myself proud that I finally came out tonight. It’s been a while and honestly, I was tired of being locked in the house like a caged animal. Even out here I can still feel it in the air.
“Told you it’d be fun!” Taren hollers so half the club can hear but I just nod my agreement.
We make our way through the crowds of people towards the bar when I notice a bunch of guys with white powder lined up in front of them. Sniffing it up their noses, one turns to me with a giant grin before motioning me over. That’s not my thing. Shaking my head, he chuckles before going back to what he was doing. I follow along behind Taren before she passes me a glass.
“I’m not old enough!” Hollering back at her, she laughs before turning her attention towards Eric. I look at the amber liquid in the glass before shrugging and taking it down. The burn is a welcome reprieve.
Setting the glass down on the counter, I turn to watch the people dance and move around. I wish I was that free. A freeness where I wasn’t so afraid to be myself, to have fun no matter what the cost. A hand on my arm jerks me from my thoughts as I follow it up to the last person I wanted to see tonight.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Glaring at Daniel, he smiles down at me making my insides churn.
“It’s a party! I know the owner. Who did you come with?” Flipping my head around to look for Taren, I don’t see her anywhere. Damn her! Great friend I have!
“Not you. Leave me alone,” I snap, jerking my arm free of his. I head towards the sign for the bathroom hoping like hell that Taren has her ass back here. I don’t want to deal with Daniel any more than I have to. Spotting the women’s bathroom I beeline towards it when I’m grabbed around the waist. Shaking myself, trying to get out of his grasp, Daniel pins me against the wall with his larger body.